


One Heart, One Soul

by a_scholar



Category: Adam Lambert (Musician), His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, Sauli Koskinen RPF
Genre: Alternate Universe - Daemons, Eventual Happy Ending, Fluff, M/M, Smut, Unresolved Sexual Tension
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-04-01
Updated: 2017-04-01
Packaged: 2018-10-13 15:49:01
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 10,731
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10516875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/a_scholar/pseuds/a_scholar
Summary: ”He sounded cute on the phone. That accent,” Adam says."Maybe he hasn't lucked out in the looks department,” his dæmon replies."Which would probably be for the best. Training will be hard if the PT is too hot."- - -Previous knowledge of His Dark Materials universe is not necessary. What that universe is like and what dæmons /ˈdiːməns/ are becomes clear enough in the fic.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Right after claiming I didn't know if I could write another A/S fic I realized there are always too few HDM crossovers in the fandoms that I'm in. So this sort of happened!
> 
> For those who are familiar with HDM, I have widened the range a dæmon and their person can move away from each other, and I've taken other liberties as well. I wanted to set this in 2015 without changing real events too much, but since Adam is always so busy I've had to make adjustments. So in this alternative 2015 Adam has six weeks off when he's not flying around the world.

A few minutes after Adam has rolled out of bed he's greeting his assistant on the door, bleary-eyed.

”Morning.”

”Hi, Adam. I'm just dropping this off. Another batch of fanmail and gifts.” There's a huge cardboard box his assistant has delivered on his doorstep.

”I see.” He can already picture what's inside.

”Has Seth called you yet?”

”No, why?” Adam asks.

”He has something to tell you, so give him a call if he doesn't call you first. Oh, and if there's anything you don't want just put it back and I'll think of something.” With a vague gesture at the box his assistant takes off.

Adam hauls the box inside. ”Ramses! Gifts for you.”

A clicking noise starts approaching until an enormous black wolf rounds the corner.

”Oh, not again.”

”I'm afraid so. They love you, you know.” Adam rips open the tapes surrounding the box and pulls out the first item. ”Another dog bed. Looks huge, probably for a wolf hound or something. I think you would actually fit in this.”

”Please,” Ramses says with a pointed look. ”I love our fans, I even like the colours on that one, but just no.”

”Suit yourself.” Adam picks up a pile of letters and cards, browses through them. ”For me, for me... Oh, here we go. Two for you. They're really stretching the etiquette again, bless them. It's not like we can answer these. Aww, 'Adam, I've never seen anything as beautiful as your inner self.' From Katie. She thinks you're beautiful.”

”Would she write that if I had settled into an alligator, I wonder?” Ramses asks.

”Probably. I would find you pretty.”

”Yes, but we are us,” Ramses says yawning widely.

”Hm. Actually, it's too hard to imagine you as anything different. I think I would have to be someone completely different.” Too early in the morning to think about something even scientists don't have a definitive answer to.

Adam scratches his stubble. ”Have a look at the rest of this stuff, I need to call Seth about something.”

While passing his dæmon he brushes his fingers against the thick fur, and his dæmon in turn leans briefly against him, as is their habit. It brings such comfort.

The pair of them have needed that closeness from an early age. School wasn't easy for them. It's so rare to be born with a dæmon that is the same sex as you. As soon as a newborn baby's cord is cut and a dæmon materializes next to them, theyr'e almost always of the opposite sex.

His parents had told him that Ramses being a boy meant Adam was special, but it didn't take long for him to realize what it actually meant was that he was different. He was lucky not to be outright bullied at school, but he never quite felt like he belonged. He would get anxious, which made Ramses rapidly change through different forms, from a fox to a butterfly to a giraffe. Musical theatre was their only escape, a place where they found likeminded people and their dæmons. Things got better at high school, helped by Ramses undergoing his settling and ending up as a wolf, which felt right to both of them.

He gives Ramses a final pat. He couldn't imagine not touching his dæmon here and there throughout the day.

Making a phone call to Seth reveals his personal trainer has busted his leg. ”It's my ACL, needs an operation. Gonna take four to six weeks before I can start working in a limited capacity, three months before I'm allowed to jog.”

Seth is very apologetic, but Adam makes it clear he's being silly. It's not Seth's fault he's got injured and the only thing expected from him is to get better. Before Adam can start thinking how it affects his training schedule and upcoming tour, Seth informs him he already has a replacement in mind. ”You'll want to write this name down.”

Clutching a scrap of paper with the strange name on it Adam explains the situation to Ramses. ”No idea how to pronounce this name. Seth spelled it but I'm pretty sure he mangled it when he said it.”

”Alright, then. Is the guy straight or gay?”

”Gay,” Adam says. ”He's Finnish, hasn't lived in LA that long. Seth knows him through work, says he's been praised by clients. I see you've made a mess.”

The contents of the box are spread on the floor. Another dog bed, some bandanas and vests. Ramses gives him a pleading look with his amber eyes.

”Maybe we need to put out a statement, ask them to donate to dog shelters instead.”

\---

Adam is fussing over his appearance, trying to get his currently brown hair to cooperate. It's getting long at the top.

"Don't bother, you're going to be training and sweating anyway," Ramses points out.

Well. At least his facial hair is neat. There's short stubble under his jaw with only a little bit on the sides of his face and none on his chin, plus a short moustache.

”He sounded cute on the phone. That accent,” Adam says.

"Maybe he hasn't lucked out in the looks department,” his dæmon replies.

"Which would probably be for the best. Training will be hard if the PT is too hot. And I know I just said 'hard', so don't even." He grabs Ramses' ear and squeezes it gently before taking a moment to brush some scruffy strands of black fur in place. The two of them are matching now since he's gone for black training clothes—loose sweats and a sleeveless tee. Barefoot.

”Do you want me to get your phone to see if he's on Instagram?”

”Nah, he could be here any second,” Adam says, smiling and cupping Ramses' cheeks. ”Could also be one of those guys who only post their dæmon. Should we tell him there's a trial period? In case we don't click and we need to let him go in a kind way.”

”That might be wise.”

The PT is right on time. Adam's first impression upon opening the door is of a radiant smile and bright blue eyes. The guy is shorter than him, lightly built but with clearly defined muscles highlighted by a long-sleeved shirt that clings to his body. Blond wavy hair on top of his head and an enviably symmetrical face with a hint of stubble. A nose ring.

From a rhythmic brushing movement against his leg he knows Ramses is wagging his tail.

Fuck. He's in such deep, deep shit. This boy is way too cute.

”Hello, I'm Sauli and this is Aina.” A tiny bird peeks over Sauli's shoulder.

”Hi, it's nice to meet you. I'm Adam and this is Ramses. How do you say your names again?” Sauli repeats them slowly until Adam gets them right. "You have a songbird dæmon."

"Yeah. Doesn't mean that I'm any good at singing at all." Sauli grins. ”She's a barn swallow.”

The bird dæmon hops around on Sauli's shoulder. She's mostly blue with reddish-brown markings on her head and white underparts. Her tail is forked.

They go in, Sauli instinctively giving Ramses a wide berth. After all touching another person's dæmon is one of the strongest taboos there is. It's only ever acceptable if the people in question are very intimate with each other and—crucially—they are matched. If there's no true match, touching the other person's dæmon can be a terrible experience for everyone involved.

They decide to go over Adam's training program in the kitchen, Sauli accepting the offer for coffee.

”Your house is amazing,” he says while looking around and giving a low whistle.

It's kind of adorable he doesn't try to play it cool and pretend to be unimpressed.

Their dæmons are looking at each other curiously. As a rule dæmons don't initiate conversation with each other until their persons have introduced everyone. More often than not dæmons don't even talk if their persons are only casual aquintances.

Sauli thinks they shouldn't mess with Seth's plan too much since the program is working well for Adam and Sauli is only a temporary trainer. He'll just add his own twist by making Adam do some more body-weight workout. Privately Adam thinks he's fine with anything Sauli wants him to do with his body. To his body, perhaps?

While they're chatting over coffee, Adam asking about Sauli's background and how he's ended up in LA, he's making a real effort to listen and not just stare into the blue eyes.

His coffee has gone cold before he realizes he hasn't paid attention to what their dæmons are doing.

Ramses is lying down, ears perked up and observing with fascination as the bird—Aina—is hopping all over him and taking short flights from the top of his head to the end of his tail.

So that was quick.

Ramses is always friendly with his friends' dæmons, but they've known Sauli and Aina for all of half an hour.

Suddenly Aina flies to Sauli, landing on the hand Sauli raises next to his ear so she can whisper into it. Adam doesn't hear what she says and if he did he would pretend otherwise. When other people are present dæmons speak in a hushed voice. They might talk to each other or to their own person, in which case it's impolite to listen in and even if you hear them you should pretend that you don't. Someone else's dæmon will never speak to you directly unless you're deeply connected to that dæmon's person, such as in an intimate relationship or through a very close family bond. His parents' dæmons talk to him sometimes, but he knows that's not always the case in families. Having dæmons pass messages between their persons—now that's handy, though, and very common. It might take some time, going from you to your dæmon, then to the other dæmon and to their person, but it's fun if you want to have a secret private conversation with a friend.

\---

Finished with whatever she wanted to say, Aina flies back to Ramses to settle down in the soft fur of his neck.

”I told him to stop looking at his employer like he would look at a guy he's on a date with,” she whispers into the ear Ramses tilts towards her.

”Oh, I don't think Adam minds,” Ramses says. ”Sauli is exactly his type.” Boys like that tend to make Adam's head turn whenever they're out.

”Really? Hm. Best not to tell Sauli that quite yet. He looks ready to implode, that might break him. We need him to make a good impression today.”

She amuses him. ”You are an interesting little dæmon.”

\---

”So do you have any special goals with your training?” Sauli asks.

”Just adding a bit more muscle and improving my stamina,” Adam says. ”I'm going to South America with Queen in September, so it's a good plan to amp up the intensity week by week before the tour. My fitness level affects performing so much. I don't want to get tired on stage and my oxygen consumption affects singing as well...” He trails off. Sauli is looking at Ramses.

”Have you ever met someone with a same sex dæmon before?” Adam smiles.

”Crap, I didn't mean to stare. Sorry. Yes, I have some trans friends, but you're the first one I've met who was born with a same sex dæmon.”

Adam himself has met quite a few people who were born with a same sex dæmon, but it's to be exptected since he's been introduced to so many people and done so much travelling. But he has a lot of trans friends as well. If a transgender person decides to transition to the gender they identify with, their dæmon remains the same they've always been, for some reason not affected by gender dysphoria. So a trans man will still have the male dæmon he was born with, sometimes making it harder to pass depending on how easy it is to recognize the sex of your particular dæmon.

But being born with a same sex dæmon is rarer than being transgender, so sometimes it leads to awkward assumptions. In his early twenties when he was experimenting with his looks people sometimes mistook him as transgender, which he didn't particularly mind and didn't always correct. It hasn't happened after Idol and becoming someone people recognize.

”I wasn't staring because of that,” Sauli says. ”Just because your dæmon is gorgeous. You having a same sex dæmon makes total sense, though—your voice is insane. No way you wouldn't have an out of the ordinary dæmon.”

Adam rubs the back of his neck. ”Aww, thanks.” It always makes him feel bashful when people make that connection. The generally held theory is that a same sex dæmon indicates a special trait or quality in a person, a 'gift' even. Most people with a dæmon like that also belong somewhere on the LGBTQ spectrum. People sure made a huge deal of Ramses when he was on Idol. Such a debate over whether it meant he was gay or 'just' something else.

”You're too sweet.”

”I'm gushing too much over someone I've just met.”

”Well, flattery gets you anywhere,” Adam waggles his eyebrows before looking at Sauli more thoughtfully. ”But you're not like that. Opportunistic or trying to take advantage. I can see that.”

They're smiling at each other again. When was the last time he's felt like this? Sauli is trouble, he ticks all the boxes. Despite Adam's earlier comment any thoughts of a trial period have flown out of the window. He has no doubts of them getting along, and even though resisting Sauli might be difficult, he has no desire to let him go.

”We can make the contract last for six weeks until I go on tour,” he says. ”I can survive there on my own. By the time I come back Seth should be back in action. My PA is coming over soon, he'll have all the paperwork with him.”

”Okay. Should we have a workout before that, see your gym?”

\---

Adam is facedown on the floor, holding himself off the ground in the plank position, supporting himself on his arms and toes.

His new trainer is a torturer.

He raises his head to glare at Ramses, resenting the dæmon's comfortable state. ”You're lucky you're not entirely corporeal.”

”I may not sweat or need nourishment, but I can bite you if you give me attitude.”

”Head down, Adam.” Fingers brush against the back of his head. He's glad the full-body shiver can be explained by the strain in his muscles.

\---

Five days a week with two rest days in between. Out of those five days two cardio-only, which he previously used to handle on his own without Seth, jogging or hiking in Runyon or using his treadmill. When Sauli assumes he's expected to come with Adam there's no correction. Ramses is definitely laughing at Adam.

Their training times vary since they have to be scheduled around his various meetings. The amount of promo he's been doing for his new album is winding down, but there's still the occasional interview. Plus he's starting to put a band together for a concert where he'll be playing music from the album for the first time. So sometimes they train late in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon or early evening. Not in the morning because he's a night owl, which fits perfectly since Sauli has another client he's seeing early.

It's possible Adam is motivated to try extra hard during the workouts, wanting to earn Sauli's approval. Sauli is liberal with his praise, encouraging Adam to push himself for just one more round, cheering when he finishes. Sauli does some light exercises himself alongside Adam, checking up on him and giving feedback but thankfully not standing next to him to stare continuously. It would be the end of him to have Sauli breathing down his neck all the time.

The situation is sexually charged enough as it is. So much bare skin, muscles bulging, a fine sheen of sweat on their bodies. Adam forced to pant and grunt from the effort. He prays he doesn't get hard. Meeting Sauli's eyes in a mirror is like a jolt.

”Does Sauli look at me when I'm working out?” He asks Ramses later.

”I guess he glances at you every now and then. But he's your trainer, he needs to see if you're doing the exercises correctly.” A silence stretches. ”Fine, I'll try to see if he's lusting after you.”

”No, you don't hav— I mean, why would I need to know that. I'm not trying to seduce him.”

Ramses rolls his eyes.

\---

Runyon is packed as usual the first time they go there for some interval training. They're jogging uphill at a very slow pace. Aina keeps flying around them, sometimes making a stop on Sauli's shoulder. Her shiny blue feathers look very pretty.

”How far away can she get from you?” Adam asks.

”About 13 yards,” Sauli says.

It's impressive. ”Wow. No discomfort before that?”

”No, only starts when going over 13 and I have no desire to experiment further,” Sauli laughs.

”It's only 10 yards for us,” Adam says. ”My friends' avian dæmons can only make it to 11 or 12 yards.”

Aina takes flight and flies away from them as if to demonstrate, making Adam a little nervous. Teasingly she flies past a small white dog a young woman is walking. The woman's dæmon is also a small white dog. Sauli nudges his arm.

”That is honestly the weirdest thing to me. To have a pet that looks like your dæmon.”

”I know,” Adam says. ”I'd feel like it was an insult to my dæmon. If I wanted to get an animal it would have to be something completely different from Ramses.”

Their jog gets interrupted once, a fan easily recognizing Adam past his shades and a cap he's wearing backwards. He spends a while talking to her, signing an autograph and giving her a hug after she assures him she doesn't mind if he's sweaty. The fan's squirrel dæmon is beside himself, running in a circle around Ramses. Sauli stays back and smiles at the scene.

\---

Aina flies to sit on top of Ramses' head. ”He's very kind.”

”He is.”

\---

They spent only an hour on the trail. Afterwards there's a tight feeling in Adam's chest when he thinks about parting. He blurts out that Sauli could stay for a while if he hasn't anything to do.

”You could take a shower in the guest bathroom. You live so far away, it must be a drag to wear sweaty clothes during your drive anyway.”

”Uh, I guess it is,” Sauli says. ”I really should find a new apartment with a better location. I don't have a change of clothes, though.”

”I'll lend you some if you make me another post-workout smoothie,” Adam smiles sweetly.

Picking out clothes for Sauli feels weird, somehow too intimate and he almost regrets it. It's something he'd do for a boyfriend. All his trousers are definitely too long, so he ends up with loose knee-length sweats and a blue top. And briefs.

He drops them on the guest bed while Sauli is showering. Naked, which he absolutely doesn't think about and leaves to take a shower of his own. Neither does he in any way think about what Sauli looks like wearing his clothes, later when they're hanging out in his pool area drinking their smoothies.

\---

A routine quickly forms of Sauli lingering after their workout sessions whenever he can, now keeping a bag of spare clothes with him.

One time Adam is singing while coming downstairs, toweling his hair, and he's faced with Sauli's stunned look.

”Did Ramses just howl in tune with your singing?”

Adam looks at Ramses who nods. ”I guess he did, it doesn't always even register with me.”

”But he doesn't do it live? I saw you with Queen last year.”

”Oh, he totally does,” Adam laughs. ”He doesn't have a mic so it gets lost in the music. He doesn't want to make a thing out of it, it's not entirely voluntary. He just can't help it sometimes when I belt.”

Sauli's face is filled with wonder. He looks very huggable, that trim compact form, but with something so soft about him. Adam's fingers itch to grab him and wrap him in his arms.

After selecting some music they settle down on the sofa, Ramses climbing to cuddle next to Adam, who strokes his fur.

”At Queen shows he usually hangs around on the steps of the drum platform,” he says.

”Yeah, I saw,” Sauli says. ”With Brian and Roger's badger and parrot dæmons.”

Adam smiles happily. ”Aren't they just so iconic? I'm sure there's a portion of die-hard Queen fans who hate our guts, but I have to admit it feels good to see Ramses with them. Everyone was so used to seeing them with Freddie's tiger dæmon—well, with John's civet dæmon, too. But it doesn't seem so empty and sad anymore now that Ramses is there.”

He presses a kiss on top of Ramses' head, somehow not minding that Sauli is there, although he's not quite this affectionate with his dæmon in public.

Sauli grins at them. ”Your dæmon looks deceptively threatening when you see him for the first time, but I think everyone realizes pretty quickly that he's just a soft goofball."

It's true, there's a contradiction. Ramses' appearance can be intimidating. He's a massive black wolf and some people find the amber eyes scary. But he uses such a variety of expressions to show his friendly behaviour, wagging his tail lazily, tilting his head this way and that. Whenever they're around kids he lowers his front legs and wags his tail so furiously his whole butt is shaking.

For a lot of people it's their favourite hobby to analyze characteristics attributed to different dæmons. Wolf dæmons for instance are seen to represent resilience, strength and bravery—but also as pack animals a need for company, some kind of pack around them in working life as well as in private. A dæmon like Ramses would probably be categorized as a leader of a pack, hinting their person is a leader and protector, someone who ensures everyone is all right. It's all very stereotypical, but like many others Adam has also been fascinated by dæmonology in his youth. Nowadays it gets a bit tiring. People and dæmons are hardly ever that simple, but rather multi-layered and conflicting beings.

Adam smiles when he sees Aina move inside the hood of Sauli's white hoodie.

"Aina on the other hand always looks so angry,” he says. ”It's hilarious."

"That's just her face. We're not angry all the time,” Sauli says.

"I know." He strokes Ramses' ears. "Can I ask you an impolite question? Do you ever wish you could hug your dæmon?"

Thankfully Sauli is not offended and smiles gently. "Not really. I understand why you're asking, but there are big perks to having a tiny dæmon.”

”Tiny, just like her person.” A pillow gets thrown in Adam's face.

”Our movement is not restricted in any way by her size,” Sauli says. ”I can get the bird's eye view anytime I like. You wouldn't believe how useful it is. I wouldn't want to give up on those. The comfort I get from her closeness is the same, you know. But I do remember what it was like to hug her as a kid. She used to pick a favourite form for a while, making us all think it would be something she'd end up with in her settling, even though it doesn't work quite like that. The bear lasted for a long time."

Adam's jaw drops open. "I have some trouble picturing that."

"It drove my mother crazy. Aina was always in the way and I couldn't make her change out of it." Sauli starts laughing. ”She insisted on coming to sauna with me and my father and got stuck in the doorway. That finally made her change.”

As they're talking she flies out of Sauli's hood and starts hopping around the floor as if looking for something, eventually diving under the sofa. She comes out with a tuft of Ramses' fur in her beak.

”What on earth is she doing?”

Sauli looks pained. ”I probably should have told you. She's... making nests. It's something she does, like Ramses with his howling. She can't help it. She does it more in some places than others, the reason apparently 'difficult to explain' to me.”

Adam is fighting not to laugh. ”It's okay, Sauli. So can I expect to find a nest somewhere in my house?”

”Probably several at this point. I'm so sorry. You can remove them, or have your cleaner remove them, Aina won't mind. She just builds new ones.” Sauli gringes. ”That sounds even worse.”

Finally Adam bursts out in laughter. ”I swear it's okay. You two are adorable.”

Ramses sits up to whispers to him. ”She's been collecting my fur for a while now.”

\---

From there on Adam sees her carrying clumps of fur quite often. After a bit of searching he finds a nest in his bookshelf. It's like a round little basket made of black fur. He puts it back.

Even setting aside nest-building, Aina's behaviour is a bit unconventional. She seems to have no sense of rules or boundaries. When Adam is preparing lunch she hops on the kitchen counter so close to his hands that he's terrified he's going to touch her. When he carries a tray full of plates and cups Aina flies past him so close that he can feel the air current. He freezes on the spot.

”Your face!” Sauli starts laughing so hard he falls back to lie down on the sofa. ”Don't worry, her reaction time is a lot faster than yours. You're not going to collide,” he says, still giggling and rolling on the sofa.

”Did I call you two adorable once? I take it back, you're scary. Possibly a bit crazy.” He sets the tray down from his shaking hands.

”You can't take it back anymore because I got you a gift.” Sauli digs out a headband from his bag and tosses it to Adam. ”You keep brushing your hair off your face when we're training. I thought black was the safest colour.”

Suddenly Adam can't remember when someone's given him something just because they thought he could need it.

”I hope it's large enough. Your head is huge,” Sauli says with a poker-face.

”You're only saying that because your head is small, just like everything else about you.”

”Not everything,” Sauli says.

”Oh, hey now.”

Adam grabs a fork and proceeds to shovel salad into his mouth before his dick decides to get up to date with the conversation.

Controlling the reactions of his body is even harder when they're stretching later, Sauli having managed to make him confess he's been neglecting it. He's sitting in a butterfly stretch with his feet together, grasping his ankles. Sauli is so close he's almost straddling Adam, gently pressing Adam's knees towards the ground.

He concentrates on breathing, staring at the tattoo on Sauli's neck. If he leaned just a little closer he could kiss it. This is agony. If Sauli wasn't his trainer but just a random boy, he would have pressed him against the gym floor ages ago.

By the time they finish he's half-hard, hopefully not too obviously. As soon as they've said goodbye at the door Adam heads to his bedroom to collapse on the bed, sliding a hand under the waistband of his sweats and into his briefs. For a while he tries to think of generic hot guys but it's impossible, the body he's picturing morphing into Sauli.

He shoves his sweats and briefs down past the swell of his ass and sits up to squeeze a dollop of lube on his fingers before lying back down. Images flash through his mind. Of Sauli's mouth, of the pink tongue that's driving him crazy. He thinks about kissing, licking that tongue, about the abs he's seen through Sauli's shirt, the shapely little butt he wants to get his hands on. All the while slick sounds of his hand moving on his cock fill the air. He plants his feet flat on the bed and thinks about giving it to Sauli. It only takes a few sharp thrusts of his hips fucking into his own fist before he comes hard, gasping for air, his toes curling.

\---

His right hand has seen way too much action lately, his bed too lonely.

”I need to get laid.”

”I know,” Ramses replies. He's always very tolerant of Adam's needs, uninterested and detached as his attitude to sex is as a dæmon.

Adam could text someone he's had casual fun with before. It's not usually very hard for him to find someone if he wants to get laid. Plenty of cute guys around with dæmons that Ramses is happy to cuddle with for a while. Somehow he can't think of anyone he'd like to contact right now.

Hoping to meet someone new they go out that night. A few guys catch his eye but he can't get really excited about anyone. He does end up making out, but even though the guy is gorgeous the kiss falls flat. Ramses is sitting like a statue, not reacting to the polecat dæmon draping herself around him. There's no chemistry in the kiss and he feels wrong in his stomach, guilty. They leave early, pissed off and feeling sorry for themselves.

There's no training the next day.

”Let's go to mom's,” Ramses suggests.

As always seeing his mom makes him feel better, even if he doesn't want to talk about why he's feeling low. His mom's lemur dæmon Thomassin immediately dashes over to pet Ramses lovingly. At dinner his mom makes him eat so much he'll have to really work on burning all those calories during the next workout.

\---

The following day Adam stumbles out of shower exhausted after working out like a madman. About to start dressing in his bedroom he's startled by a tuft of wolf fur floating down in the air.

How the hell did it get—oh. Aina has made one of her nests on top of Adam's wardrobe and is currently settled there comfortably, looking at him sleepily with only one eye open.

Quickly Adam looks away, reaching for his towel to wrap around his waist. He should probably yell for Sauli.

"Uh, Sauli. Your dæmon is nesting in my bedroom."

There's a moment of silence before Sauli runs upstairs.

"Oh, Christ, I'm sorry,” Sauli says.

”Don't worry about it. I just thought, well...” Adam gestures helplessly and steps back to let Sauli pass and talk to his dæmon.

"Could you come away from there, please?" Sauli asks Aina.

"I shan't."

"Aina.” Sauli sounds desperate. ”You realize this is impolite?"

"We like it very much in here,” she says.

Sauli is facing away from Adam so it's impossible to see his expression.

Eventually she flies down. "Oh, fine. You're so troublesome."

Adam realizes he's blatantly listening to a private conversation just as Sauli, who turns around to leave, seems to realize Adam's state of undress. His blue eyes travel from Adam's face to his bare chest, to the trasure trail going down. Staring. His mouth slightly open.

Fuck, how Adam wants.

He's pretty sure he's seen this porn movie. Right about now he should be dropping his towel, tackling Sauli on the bed with a cheesy line.

Instead Sauli snaps out of it and Adam releases a breath.

”Yeah, uh, sorry about her. She's a menace,” Sauli says and leaves.

Ramses is watching the scene play out from his spot on a shaggy rug, looking entirely too amused.

”Another shower?” Adams asks weakly.

”Go ahead.”

After recovering from that episode Adam and Sauli are in the livingroom, both staring at their dæmons who are... doing whatever it is they're doing. Ramses is holding his enormous jaw open while Aina is hopping between his teeth, clearly chattering non-stop.

Adam hopes Sauli isn't terrified. While Ramses does play with his friends' dæmons, he's going a bit overboard with Aina, who seems to have no trouble keeping up.

It feels too awkward to point it out. Sometimes it's hard to find a balance between not reading too much into dæmons' behaviour, yet being aware their behaviour may reflect something about their person's thoughts and feelings. It's clear Sauli and Aina feel comfortable in his house at the very least.

There's something so refreshing about Sauli. He's straightforward and honest. There's no pretense.

”Hey, you've been here for several months now,” Adam says, fiddling with the hem of his shirt. ”How are you finding LA?”

”I like it here. People are very open and positive, it makes you feel good. I love the diversity. It's also very competitive, though. And meeting new people sometimes feels really... fake.” Sauli makes a face. ”I'm sorry, I don't want to sound negative about your home.”

"I like your honesty,” Adam says. ”I want you to say what you think.”

”Well, I feel like people are not genuinely interested in what I'm saying. They look like they're listening, but they keep interrupting and it throws me off. Or they don't mean what they say, like it's just something to say to fill the silence. Sometimes I'm confused whether I'm being given empty promises I'm not even suppposed to believe in, or whether people actually mean to follow through. Not just guys I'm hoping to date but all people, potential friends and people at work. I don't think people necessarily intend to be uncaring, and I get that everyone meets new people here all the time and that's good—it's good to create connections. But sometimes I wonder if they're actually going to call me like they said they would or not. Sorry, I sound like I hate it here but I don't, mostly it's all really good. My culture shock is arriving right on time.”

”No, you're right, sometimes it's fake bullshit,” Adam says.

Sauli starts laughing, that smile and laugh always coming out so easily.

”Every culture has its own values and communication styles,” Adam says. Because of his travelling lifestyle he's constantly faced with misunderstandings and weird situations, but it's not a big deal and anything can be overcome with a bit of gracefulness and humour. ”People can't help but compare when they're abroad, both the good and the bad. It's interesting to hear your point of view.”

”Well, you're real,” Sauli says. ”That's why I like hanging out here. I don't have to pretend anything.”

Adam can feel his face getting hot. "So... do you want to stay over and keep us company then? Watch a movie? Unless you have an evening client.”

"No clients,” Sauli smiles. ”Sounds good. And anything is fine, just check the ratings."

"No dæmon death?" He's not surprised, he doesn't like to see it himself nor any kind of violence inflicted upon the bond between a person and their dæmon.

"Freaks us out,” Sauli says.

"Yeah, it really makes the skin crawl.”

"When I was a kid I accidentally saw a movie that had dæmon death,” Sauli says. ”Somehow it slipped through my parents' notice. I had nightmares for months. I don't know how some people can get used to it."

Adam thinks about it for a while. "I think it's very human to react strongly. It's not like we'll ever see our own dæmons disappear—we'll already be dead, but even the idea is scary."

"I was actually at my grandmother's bedside when she died a few years ago. Her dæmon was a weasel, he had wrapped himself around her neck. So I couldn't make myself look at them, I just held her hand. She wasn't conscious at the end but I still felt bad. I only looked when she had slipped away and the dæmon wasn't there anymore."

He doesn't know what to say, he's never had to be in a similar situation and can't imagine what he would do.

"I'm sorry.”

”Thank you, Adam.”

Aina flies over to press herself against Sauli's neck. She ruffles her feathers, which tickles Sauli and makes him giggle, before she settles down comfortably. It makes her look like a fat and fluffy little ball.

Adam snorts.

"What?"

"Nothing."

He finds himself wanting to tell Sauli all kinds of things. "You know, I love what I do and I wouldn't change anything. But ever since the whole Idol experience and after my life got turned upside down, we've had to deal with some negative things.”

Ramses comes closer to lie on top of his feet.

”I love my fans from the bottom of my heart and I know it's just been a few rotten eggs in a group of wonderful people, but... they've touched Ramses a few times."

A visible shudder passes through Sauli.

"They don't mean bad,” Adam continues. ”It comes from a place of love. Horribly mistaken love, perhaps. I suppose they're deluding themselves, thinking we're meant to be. But it always feels absolutely terrible. It's such a visceral reaction. One time a fan really grabbed Ramses and I had to go throw up. We were in such a poor state I had to cancel my performance and that made me feel like shit, too. We just kept holding each other for the rest of the night. I'm sure the fan and her dæmon felt repulsed, too. Everything felt off for a long time, it takes time to forget it.” Adam wiggles his toes which are trapped under his dæmon. ”But we're good now, it's been a while since the last time and hopefully it doesn't happen again.”

"I can't even imagine,” Sauli says softly. ”One time someone, a person who clearly shouldn't have touched Aina, accidentally brushed the tips of her feathers just for a second, and even that felt wrong. She spent that day under my shirt. It was actually a guy I dated when I was a teenager."

Should he ask and venture into that territory? They haven't talked about dating, weirdly dancing around the subject.

"Have you ever met someone you'd allow to touch her?"

"One boyfriend,” Sauli says. ”We'd been together for a year before we attempted. It was weird at first, made me and Aina feel really weak and uncomfortable. Later it was sometimes sort of good, but mostly I couldn't tell, it was just kind of too much. So we didn't do it that often, only sometimes. I think it could have become a lot better over time. With others we haven't tried. A lot of people choose to never try, after all. What about you?"

"No. We tried with two ex boyfriends. Both times were awful. It kind of ruined the relationships.”

\---

Later when their persons have finally stopped talking and are watching a movie Aina whispers to Ramses.

"We should have guessed, we've heard some celebrities have to deal with fans touching their dæmons. We read about an actor who sued a fan because of it.”

”I think dealing with those misguided fans is still way easier than facing the reality of not matching with the person you're in love with. It was tough for us. Adam was in love with both those guys. In hindsight I guess there was always a nagging feeling that something wasn't right in those relationships. But even if you feel like that it's hard to admit it, and anyway you can't just decide to stop being in love. You're kind of enslaved by the feeling.”

”Love is scary.”

”Yes. I need to take care of Adam.” Ramses lays his head between his front paws and closes his eyes. ”Adam likes the way Sauli says his name.”

”He does? Oh, that's a relief,” Aina sighs. ”Sauli was worrying about it. He's trying, but often it comes out the way we would say it back home, or something in between.”

”It's lovely. No one else close to him says it like that.”

\---

Next week Sauli seems a bit quiet at the start of their Runyon hike, but recovers his usual cheerful mood.

Ramses is walking behind Adam and Sauli when Aina flies to perch on his head.

”Sauli is feeling a little homesick and lonely,” she tells him.

Ramses wants to do something about it, but it's not the politest thing to pass intel like that.

\---

Adam is lying on his stomach on the bed, browsing his phone when his dæmon walks in.

”We should go out with Terrance and invite Sauli along,” Ramses says.

"Why?" He gets no answer. Terrance has been asking Adam to come out and have fun, and he's been putting it off. ”You mean tonight, with Terrance and everyone else?”

"If you like. I don't think Sauli has made that many friends here yet. But he's not going to know anyone except you, so we need to make sure he doesn't feel like an outsider."

He texts Sauli who agrees to come.

In the evening he's getting ready, carefully curling his hair into one big swirl on his forehead. Ramses appears at the bathroom door carrying one of Adam's many high-heeled boots in his mouth. Without pausing in his task Adam looks at him in the mirror.

”We're going for the boots are we?”

Ramses lets the boot drop. ”I think a little glam is in order. Let's see if Sauli freaks out.”

”Why not,” Adam says. ”We need to let our inner goddess shine somehow since you ended up as a male.”

They meet Sauli and Aina in front of the bar. Adam is wearing the platform boots coupled with tight leather trousers and a see-through leopard shirt. With heavy eye-make-up.

It takes a moment for Sauli to find his speech. ”Look at you,” he whistles. ”That's pretty hot.”

Sauli might be freaking out, but clearly in a good way. His outfit is more modest, skinny jeans and a black tee with a deep v-neck. He looks edible.

Should he go for a proper hug? It strikes Adam that every time they've met it's started out as a professional session, even if it has ended as something else.

He goes for a hug. He towers over Sauli anyway and more so in his boots, so he bends over to wrap his arms around Sauli's shoulders. Sauli's arms circle his waist.

”Hello. You're looking lovely yourself,” Adam says.

Sauli is warm and smells really good. Adam has possibly forgotten how to hug people because he doesn't remember what the acceptable duration is. This may have gone on for too long and he lets go, panicking a bit.

Inside Adam introduces Sauli to a bunch of his friends as his new PT. This immediately evokes a chorus of catcalls and greetings with questions like ”what happened to Seth?” and ”did you swap Seth for a hotter PT?” Someone points out that Seth is also really hot, to which the respond is that the new one is much more Adam's type. Loud as his friends are, they're nice people and greet Sauli warmly, asking him to repeat his own and his dæmon's name about a dozen times. Adam sits down in the booth and pats the spot next to him so that Sauli slides to sit down on his right.

During the evening he keeps an eye on Sauli and he's glad to see he's having fun, laughing and taking part in the conversation. Because Sauli keeps glancing at him as well their eyes keep meeting. It's crowded and the conversation is so animated, everyone moving about, that more than a few times Adam is pressed tight against Sauli, from hip to leg. He's overly conscious every time it happens.

\---

Ramses lies down in a place designated for larger dæmons with Aina between his paws. Terrance's meerkat dæmon Gravina has taken her usual spot riding on Ramses' back. Gravina glares at Aina a little wearily, but is also obviously curious and comes to poke at her lightly every now and then.

Ramses whispers to Aina. "They're protective of Adam."

\---

Adam is at the bar making a huge order for all of them when Terrance ambushes him.

”He's really hot.”

Ramses whispers something to Gravina, who in turn climbs up Terrance's leg to whisper in his ear.

”Gravina says that Ramses says that you know he is,” Terrance informs him.

Adam gives a long-suffering look.

”Seriously, you could cut the sexual tension with a knife,” Terrance says. ”So you're in town but I haven't seen you. Have you noticed what usually happens when a friend of ours finds someone? Like for real and not just some crush they can't stop talking about, analyzing whether the person's text means this or that? They disappear. They disappear for ages and finally emerge all shy and happy, beaming like the sun.”

Terrance wraps an arm around Adam's shoulders. ”Now, I feel like I haven't seen you in ages and tonight you and this Sauli guy have been all up on each other. I'm just saying, Adam, my buddy, my boo. It's been forever since you've had anything but a one-night stand. Is this an ongoing thing between you two?”

”I haven't slept with him,” Adam says.

”What?! I'm shocked. Honey, your balls must be blue, you need to get laid. How can you be around him?”

”It's not easy, believe me,” Adam says. ”I just don't want to mess with our working relationship. And I'm not sure what he wants. But I'll probably ask him if he's up for some good time in a week or so when our contract ends.”

\---

There's an afterparty at Adam's place with music blasting and everyone getting more or less hammered. When his friends start leaving Adam looks at Sauli and feels lonely at the thought of him leaving. So he offers him the guest room. ”We have to train at noon anyway.”

Sauli laughs. ”I think it's going to be afternoon before we'll get anything done.”

From the smirks of the last guests to leave Adam knows what they're thinking, but he doesn't care.

He knows he's drunk and likely to make stupid decisions, so after checking everything is fine in the guest room and saying goodnight to Sauli—from a safe distance, he resolutely walks into his own bedroom, clutching Ramses' fur for strength on the way so he doesn't turn back.

Knowing Sauli is under the same roof is both calming and exciting, but after removing all the make-up he falls asleep quickly.

In the morning Adam is up before anyone else. He picks up some glasses and bottles left behind the previous night, careful not to move too far so Ramses doesn't wake up in discomfort. With only a mild hangover to bother him he's on a good mood. He starts making two omelettes in the kitchen, standing only in his patterned boxer shorts and a grey t-shirt, singing whatever comes to his head in a soft voice. He's pouring beaten eggs into a pan when he hears a chirping noise.

He stops everything for a moment before continuing singing and pouring the stuff. The chirping starts again, joining his singing. It comes from somewhere above his head, but he doesn't look. It's not just random noises but almost like an instrument, responding to his notes and complimenting his voice.

He's not entirely sure they should be doing this. He glances around the corner to make sure the others are still in the bedrooms and goes on singing and cooking breakfast as if nothing exciting is happening.

\---

”You can't hook up with him now,” Ramses says. ”It's too late. They're our friends now.”

Adam doesn't answer his dæmon, curled up on the sofa facing the backrest.

”But they could be something else, too. If you wanted to,” Ramses continues. "We could try, Adam. You're so brave. Why do you choose not to be brave about this?"

"This is not about being brave!” He sits up and drags a hand through his hair. ”It's a lot more rational and better for everyone to avoid taking risks. Casual relationships are more than enough and they've been working fine for us.”

He gets up and starts walking back and forth. ”A lot can go wrong with people and dæmons. I don't want to risk making Sauli feel utterly disgusted. I don't want to see that look in his eyes, when you realize everything feels wrong and the whole thing is doomed. I don't want to hurt them and I don't want to hurt us either. Have you forgotten what it was like the previous times we tried?”

His dæmon is looking unusually displeased with him, but Adam continues.

”This is about having come to the most logical conclusion of what's best for everyone. Don't you see? I need to take care of everyone and the best way to do that is to ensure no one gets hurt."

"I disagree entirely, so something is clearly not right with this picture,” Ramses says. ”We're both us and therefore we can't disagree, so you need to change your mind."

"No, you need to,” Adam says.

They're both in a terrible mood, sulking as far away from each other as they can bear. Adam goes for a jog without a word, forcing Ramses to follow behind. His dæmon is growling low in his throat the entire time. After showering Adam is standing in the bathroom, looking at himself in the mirror when his eyes tear up.

He decides to go look for Ramses, whom he finds waiting outside the door.

"I'm sorry,” Ramses says.

"Me too," Adam says into the furry neck hugging him tight.

"I do see where you're coming from,” Ramses says. ”I just— I just wish we had a pack, a real one.”

"I know."

\---

There's only a week left of their contract and he doesn't know what to do about Sauli. Ramses is right, at this point he can't just ask if Sauli cares for a fuck and go on being friends after that. But he doesn't know if he can continue being only friends either with his confused feelings. He's leaving to South America anyway, so maybe it's best if he lets their budding friendship fizzle out.

He still invites Sauli to his solo concert. It would be weird not to anyway, after how much he's talked about it during their workouts. And he wants him there.

As much as he loves Queen he's overjoyed to be singing his own material for a change. Sauli is watching the concert from backstage, grinning and giving him a thumbs up whenever Adam pauses to drink. Near the end of their setlist Ramses gets up from his spot and slowly walks backstage in the middle of a song.

Adam goes on singing, just having nailed a high note when he's struck with a sensation so strong he sinks to his knees.

It's like pure electric pleasure trailing down his spine, spreading all over his body down to his fingertips. He gasps for air and his eyes close in bliss. Hot waves of that feeling travel through him and he wants nothing more than roll around in it. He's never felt anything like it. He can feel the source of the sensation, coming to him through the link with his dæmon. Before this moment that link has only ever made him feel either a hint of familial warmth or utter revulsion through the touch of someone wrong. This is frying his brain with pleasure, electric sparks going off in his body, making blood rush down and his pants feel tight.

He has half a mind to realize there's a guitar solo going on just as it should, and the audience probably thinks he's reacting to the music as a part of his performance. A panic starts to mount as he realizes he doesn't think he can get up, wanting to lose himself in the feeling. When the solo is nearing its end the sensation suddenly lifts, however. He takes a deep shaking breath and with an effort stumbles up. Instinct takes over and he carries on with the song, hopefully singing the right words without thinking. The amazing sensation lingers, occasionally flashing brighter for a second and making his knees wobble.

When they finish the last song before the encore Adam stumbles backstage, blindly following the warm feeling.

He finds it. Sauli is sitting on the floor with his back against a wall, Ramses curled up next to him with his head on Sauli's jean-covered leg. Sauli's bare hand inches from him. Aina has buried herself almost entirely inside Ramses' fur.

People rush past Adam but he's stuck staring, opening and closing his mouth uselessly.

Sauli looks at him with half-lidded eyes and slowly trails a fingertip across Ramses' cheek. Liquid warmth pulses through Adam.

Before he has a chance to say anything he's dragged away for a costume change, and he forces himself to think of the encore.

During the final songs he's on fire, turning the heads of his band members when he hits surprising notes.

They finish, the audience ecstatic. When packing their things and talking about the show Adam tries to act normal with everyone but probably comes across a little strange. Finally he's alone with Sauli and their dæmons in his dressing room.

”I can't believe you just did that during my show.” He starts walking towards Sauli, making him take steps backwards until he hits a wall. He traps Sauli with his body and with his hands on the wall on both sides of Sauli's head. Huge blue eyes stare into his.

”How fucking bold can you get? That was insane what you did. Reckless.” He tilts his head and presses his lips greedily on Sauli's.

Hands grabbing his shirt and dragging him tight against a warm body. Open-mouthed, wet kisses.

He tears his lips from Sauli's. ”You're just... Mmh.” He's interrupted by hot lips capturing his with a whine, a tongue flicking against his.

”Just... Yeah.” He tangles his fingers in Sauli's hair and holds his head in place as he grins and attacks that mouth, pushing his tongue inside and curling it against Sauli's.

”Jumping in feet first,” he finally gasps. He licks across Sauli's mouth, teasingly thrusts his hips in a couple of short stabs, feeling an answering hardness but pulling his hips away when Sauli tries to chase them.

”Uh-uh.” One more kiss. ”We're leaving now,” he tells Sauli.

They have to call for their dæmons who have melted on the floor, Ramses lying down with his eyes closed and Aina peeking out from his fur.

During the thankfully not-too-long drive they're silent, Adam concentrating on the road and trying not to react to Sauli's warm hand on his thigh, which keeps him constantly half-hard. Fingers so maddeningly close but not moving.

\---

Once they're at his house Adam closes the door behind them and leans back against it, looking at Sauli and their dæmons.

Slowly he raises his left hand. Immediately Aina flies to perch on his finger. Adam strokes her gently with his other hand, Aina trembling with pleasure and spreading her wings so he scratch under them with one finger. A tingling warmth spreads through him.

Hearing a muffled moan he glances at Sauli who's supporting himself against a wall, trying to stay upright. Looking completely blissed-out, biting his lip. Ramses pushes his snout against Sauli's hand so that he'll start petting. With both of them touching the other's dæmon the pleasure loops and intensifies until Adam can't take it anymore and marches to Sauli, Aina flying to Ramses.

He takes Sauli's hand and leads him upstairs. It's a slow progress with both of them stopping to push the other against a wall, kissing frantically and grabbing clothes to reach bare skin. It's a near thing they don't end up having sex in the hallway, with Adam almost humping Sauli's thigh pressed between his legs, cupping the hard bulge in Sauli's trousers with one hand and grabbing an ass cheek with the other, Sauli's tongue doing wonderful things in his mouth.

Mustering enough self-control he tears away and drags Sauli to his bedroom, practically throwing him on the bed and falling on top of him. He places both hands on either side of Sauli's head and lifts himself so he doesn't quite crush Sauli, stares at him with his heart pounding.

The reality of having Sauli under him, being able to touch and taste after weeks of pent-up feelings, to feel how much Sauli wants him combined with the electric warmth caused by their dæmons—it's all culminating fast and he doesn't think he can hold off for long.

Sauli's hands are glued to his ass, grabbing and pulling in time with the minute thrusts of Adam's hips. Shirts get torn off and Adam opens Sauli's jeans, teasing the rock-hard length through the material before ripping the jeans and underwear all the way off. He slides his own zipper down and takes off his trousers and briefs.

Throwing their clothes on the floor he narrowly misses their dæmons. Ramses is lying on his back on the rug, wagging his tail while Aina nuzzles into his fur.

Sauli pulls him against his naked body, spreading his legs so Adam falls between them. He grinds their hips together.

”Fuck!” Sauli slaps his hand against Adam's hip and Adam pants wildly, grinds again against the stiff cock. He's kissing and licking Sauli's neck before opening his jaw wide and biting the skin ever so slightly.

”Fuck, I'm going to come,” he whines against Sauli's neck.

”No, don't,” Sauli says, so Adam sits up and wraps his fingers around the root of his cock, pressing hard and trying to stave off the climax. A drop of precome flows out and Sauli is staring at his cock with his mouth open, looking for all the world like he wants nothing more than to get his mouth on it.

Sauli looks at him and turns around on his stomach, spreading his legs and looking at Adam over his shoulder.

Oh. Adam's cock jerks in his hand. He feels out of his mind with lust.

He scrambles for lube and condoms, puts a rubber on and slicks his fingers to push them against Sauli's opening. He slips two inside and Sauli moans into a pillow, pushing his hips back against Adam's hand. He prepares Sauli for a while, fucking him with his fingers but they're both so on the edge that he pulls his fingers out and replaces them with his cock, pushing in.

The feeling is like a punch to the gut and he gasps for air. Tight and slick and so, so hot. He covers Sauli's body completely with his own, spreading his legs over Sauli's and wrapping his tattooed arms around him, pulling him tight against his body.

He starts fucking with fast and short rhytmic jabs of his hips, hardly pulling out. Sauli is losing his mind under him, groaning and gripping the pillow, his face contorted in pleasure.

”That feels so good Adam, so good.”

He moans and kisses the back of Sauli's neck. ”Kiss me,” he says so that Sauli turns his head and he can reach those lips, giving them small kisses before sliding his tongue inside while circling his hips.

He changes the rhythm, fucking in with slow but deep and powerful thrusts that slide their bodies forward on the bed so they have to push back against the movement.

It's too good, he can't hold back anymore so he thrusts fast until he pushes in deep and slides over the edge with blinding pleasure, pinning Sauli's hips against the bed with his own.

” _Fffuuck_ ,” he comes in hard jerks, moaning against Sauli's shoulder, his entire body spasming in pleasure, hips moving against that plush ass.

He slides a hand between the bed and Sauli's body but Sauli is already coming, so he wraps his fingers around the cock to tease the head with his thumb and drags out the last spurts. He kisses Sauli lazily, licking his mouth and swallowing his cries of pleasure.

He moves his weight from Sauli's back and lets his cock slip out. After removing the condom he lies against Sauli's side and throws one leg back over Sauli's ass. Slides his hand along the sweat-covered back.

”Baby,” he whispers, grinning. ”Was it good?”

”Was it—” Sauli huffs, mumbling something unaudible into the pillow, possibly in another language and reaching back with his hand until he finds Adam's hand and grasps it.

”Well, it was kind of rushed," he says. "You're too hot. If you can get it up again I'll make you feel so good, baby I promise." He kisses all over Sauli's shoulders and starts a trail of kisses down his back. ”So good.”

\---

Next morning Adam wakes up alone, but Ramses immediately informs him Sauli and Aina are in the kitchen. After brushing his teeth and putting at least some clothing on he goes downstairs.

Sauli has spread a collection of fruits on the counter and is juicing them.

Adam is greeted with a grin and a kiss, which turns into another longer one.

”Come here, leave them for a while. Come into my arms,” he says, guiding Sauli to sit on the sofa with him, cuddled under his arm.

”I'm going to have to fire you,” he says with his chin on top of Sauli's head.

”What, now that we're dating?” Sauli laughs. ”You're so dramatic. Our contract is ending anyway.”

”It's likely for the best. You and I are going to get to know each other so well. If you're my trainer as well as my boyfriend I might get bitchy when you force me to go for a run. Or I'll try to get out of it by plying you with sex.”

Sauli tilts his head up to kiss him. ”I get it,” he laughs. ”I'm not sure I'd like to work for my boyfriend anyway. Plus Seth is great, I wouldn't want to steal his job.”

They kiss for a while. Adam is wearing only his boxer shorts. Sauli is slowly stroking the warm skin on his inner thigh and it's definitely making parts of him interested.

”What happened at the show last night?” he asks.

It's Ramses who answers. ”I cornered him.”

”Yeah.” Sauli chuckles. ”He just stared at me and said my name. I don't know what came over me but I just went for it, sank my fingers into his fur.” He demonstrates this by scratching Adam's thigh lightly. ”I saw you drop down but I couldn't stop. Everything was a bit hazy at that point. I think Ramses knew you would have to get up and sing so he pulled away at last. Smart boy,” Sauli says to Ramses, who gives a wag of his tail.

”I'm still kind of amazed. Did you know what would happen?” Adam asks.

”I'm not sure. It's hard to say in retrospect. Maybe I realized it right before I did it. And I had someone to provoke me.”

”Well, I can safely let you know that it didn't feel disgusting to us.”

This makes them both giggle and Adam smiles against Sauli's neck, breathing in a scent that's causing somersaults in his chest.

Aina flies on Adam's shoulder and he tilts his head to hear what she whispers.

”Are you keeping secrets from me now?” Sauli asks.

Adam smiles widely. ”She says you like my legs.”

Sauli goes charmingly red. ”They go on for miles...”

”You should follow me and my legs to South America, then,” Adam says. ”For a little while at least if you can get away from work.”

Sauli thinks about this. ”I think we should, yes. Maybe for the latter part of the tour, to make sure you come back home from there.”

Aina chimes in. ”We're very good at finding our way home.”


End file.
